


Blame Game

by TheIronMechanic



Series: Tony Stark is a great father-figure series [5]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Ben Parker Lives, Gen, May dies instead of Ben, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark and Ben Parker are friends
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:00:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28250514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheIronMechanic/pseuds/TheIronMechanic
Summary: Ever since May died, it had always been him and Peter. If someone had told Ben Parker that he would some day be happy to hear that his nephew was hanging out with Tony Stark, he would have laughed in their faces and told them to just fuck off. That is until the billionaire superhero came through their door.
Relationships: Ben Parker & Peter Parker, Ben Parker & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Tony Stark is a great father-figure series [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1687837
Comments: 16
Kudos: 101





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I know it's been a long time, but I've been obsessing lately over a friendship between Tony and Ben, so I decided to give it a try.
> 
> As always, English is not my first language, so all mistakes are mine.

Ever since May died, it had always been him and Peter. And as hard as he tried, he never found the strength or need to look for someone else to fill that void she left, not only for him, but for Peter too. And truth be told, he hasn’t found it yet. _Him_ , that is, Peter on the other hand, has luckily found someone who is willing to try.

If someone had told Ben Parker that he would some day be happy to hear that his nephew was hanging out with _Tony Stark_ , he would have laughed in their faces and told them to just fuck off. Now though, ever since the billionaire walked through their apartment’s door, that phrase has never been as stupid.

He clearly remembers that moment, how he had just come from work, tired and exhausted, wanting nothing more than to just fall on the couch and sleep for a few minutes before Peter came busting through the door. But instead of an overexcited teenager, it was a well-dressed billionaire who came through that day.

The man looked tired. _Hell_ , even more tired than him. Bruised _and_ tired. He would’ve felt bad leaving him at the door, something that came to mind the moment he saw him, because what good would letting Tony Stark in do? He didn’t need any more trouble, he had enough as it was. But of course, he let him through.

Ben knew what he was here for, he _knew_. But he decided not to say anything, he wanted the man to explain. Wanted to be wrong, for once. He wanted to believe that he was here for his nephew’s intelligence, for his wit, for his kindness, not for his… not so normal abilities . That’s what Ben _wished_ , but that’s not what he got.

‘ _The September Foundation_ ’. That’s what the billionaire superhero tried to sell, that’s the excuse he had. A foundation focused on college students, interested in his high school nephew. A _genius_ nephew, of course, but a _high schooler_ nonetheless.

He had to give him points for trying though, he came all the way to their cramped up little apartment in Queens _himself_. He wanted to do this in person, which meant business, something Ben for sure didn’t like.

The interaction between the two men was nothing but 15 minutes, that’s all it took for Peter to come from school, something Ben was more than grateful for at the time, because the tension in the air could be cut with a knife. Ben knew what the man was really asking for, and he was sure that somehow the superhero knew that, something he was surely not expecting.

Either way, he let them have their 5 minutes in Peter’s room, enough time to clear his head. Just enough to convince himself not to be a blabbermouth and let his nephew know that he _knew_ his secret. Instead, he decided the best way to handle it was to he himself, have a 5 minute conversation with the man out of Peter’s hearing range.

He insisted on showing the billionaire out, telling the kid to just start dinner, that he wouldn’t be too long. Once they got on the elevator, the other man tried to establish a conversation, something that Ben was not in the mood for at the time, deciding to just remain quiet.

The moment the entrance door of the building was closed, Ben focused his whole attention on the man. He wasn’t trying to be intimidating, he knew that as much as he tried, he wouldn’t be able to intimidate a man who had not only dealt with supervillains but with aliens as well. But he just needed him to know who he was dealing with.

“I appreciate your _offer_ , Tony.” He needed him to _know_ , he needed him to see that his fancy suits, that his fancy cars and expensive suits of armor didn’t matter. That they didn’t matter when his kid was at stake. “But here’s what I need you to know. _That_ kid in there is the best thing that’s happened to this planet since sliced bread. I don’t know what you need from him and his… abilities, but let me make something really clear here. I _need_ him. I need him to come home from whatever you have planned. Because he’s my kid. He’s _my_ kid and I don’t need someone else to be talking advantage of his kindness and then just throwing him away. You understand me, Tony?”

He remembers seeing the man nod slightly. He wishes he had been able to see his eyes, but if his rigid posture meant anything, he knew that he understood, that he saw how much that kid meant to him, how much his life meant to this world.

“Good. That’s all I need. Just bring him home in one piece, would you?” With that, Ben pat the billionaire’s arm and got back inside. If he had turned around, just for one second, he would’ve seen Tony Stark’s façade crumble down. But he never did, so no one ever knew.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, English is not my first language, so all mistakes are mine.

The second time Tony Stark and Ben Parker crossed paths was on the exact same spot, only this time he wasn’t there for Peter, but for him. Ben knew what happened, not from Peter of course, but from what he saw on the news or read on the paper. Needless to say, he wasn’t happy about it.

He let the man in once again. Ben offered him a coffee, because Lord knows he looked like he needed one, but he refused, saying that he’d had too many already. Looking at the clock that said 10:30am, Ben wondered if the man started drinking that morning or the night before, but he let it slide, no one wants to be told they look like shit.

“I just wanted to come by to tell you that I’m sorry.” He was expecting it, but that didn’t make it any less surprising. He never thought he would hear those words coming out of Tony Stark’s mouth, much less directed to him. But as shocked as he was feeling, he didn’t let it show, continuing to make himself a cup of coffee. “I know I promised you to take care of the kid, to not let anything happen to him, and I failed.” The man sounded resentful, hurt almost. But deep down, Ben knew he deserved to feel that way, at least for a while.

“You did, yeah.” He didn’t want the man to feel worse than he already felt, but he couldn’t stop it. He hadn’t been able to voice his concerns, his fears regarding his nephew’s activities to anyone, until now.

“It wasn’t supposed to come to that, we were just supposed to talk it through, to see a middle ground and come to terms with the fact that none of us would come out on top. I thought that they would understand. Maybe I was too naïve, maybe I didn’t think it through… I don’t know. Maybe I shouldn’t have had come here on the first place. Left you alone, not bringing your kid into this mess.” He had forgiven the man a long time ago, from the moment he saw how broken he looked the day he let the world know that the Avengers were going through some major ‘ _team remodeling’._ But he didn’t want to let him know so soon.

“Maybe.” Taking a sip from his fresh coffee, Ben turned around, finally looking at a version of Tony Stark he’s sure not many people have seen. Part of his façade was down, not completely, he could tell, but enough for Ben to see that he was suffering too much. Too much for his own good, too much for how little wrong he’d done this time around. “Maybe not.”

Somehow his response made the wheels start turning inside the billionaire’s head. Ben could see how guilty he felt, how much responsibility was laying on his shoulders. “Maybe everything would’ve gone smoother without my nephew there, or maybe everything would’ve gone much worse because he _wasn’t_ there. We’ll never know.” Ben needed to get closer, to make him understand that not everything was his fault, that no one could predict the future. “The past is the past, the present is what really matters. No one could’ve really known what was going on inside Captain America’s head, not even you. No one blames you for what happened out there, least of all me.”

“How can you not? I messed up and put your kid in danger. If anything, you should be the _one_ person who really blames me for everything that happened.” Somehow, the man looked more beaten down at that moment than when he came through the door just 5 minutes earlier. Not wanting to take more of it, Ben slid his coffee cup towards his hands, encouraging him to take it. Not 1 minute later, the superhero took a sip.

“Well, lucky for you, I am not a resentful person. If I had to hold grudges with everyone who’s ever done something wrong, I would’ve been dead years ago due to stress or an ulcer.” Running a hand through his hair, the billionaire tried to let out some of that anxiety that seemed to be eating him alive.

“You are a very wise or a very stupid person then.”

“Whatever you prefer. I think of myself as reasonable. Not every problem has to have a guilty party. Sometimes everyone is wrong, most of the time everyone shares a small part of the blame. I choose to see the good in people. Maybe that makes me stupid in your eyes, in everyone’s eyes, but that’s how I live my life, how I choose to live it. And let me tell you, I sleep through the night, so it might not be so bad.” The billionaire fixed his eyes on Ben’s, letting out a small smile.

“Somehow I feel like we agree. My brain wants to agree, at least. But I still want to believe that it is my fault. Same as always.” Looking at him like this, Ben might have thought that they looked alike, too much alike. But deep down, he knew that they are complete polar opposites. “But maybe that’s just me always trying to find someone to blame. When it comes to strangers, I don’t have any problems admitting that it’s _their_ fault, not mine. But when it comes to my friends, or at least what I considered friends, I’m always to blame.”

“Because you think it’s your fault or because _they_ make you feel like it’s your fault.”

“Does it matter? It always ends up being my fault. It’s always on me. I try to do good and it ends up going against me. Nothing I do lately goes as planned.” How can someone so brilliant and intelligent be so stupid sometimes? Ben might never know.

“It _does_ matter. I can’t speak for them, because I don’t know your relationship, but regarding this… _mess_. I assure you that it’s not your fault. I might not have the whole picture, but from where I’m standing, it’s _you_ who offered another road to take, one where everyone would have almost all their needs and demands met. It needs some refining, yes. But so does everything else. My kid… Peter wouldn’t have fought by your side if he didn’t believe that what you did was the right thing. You’ve been his idol ever since he could read. He was five years old and telling us all about ‘ _The greatest inventions by Tony Stark_ ’, and the moment you told the world you were Iron Man, he felt as if he was finally able to show the world how much you meant to him. His room was not only full of Iron Man memorabilia, but also Tony Stark invention blueprints, theories or magazine covers. He, as much as it pains me to say it, _adores_ you. But not for your attitude, charm or money, but because of your brain. He hated how you made weapons ‘ _He could do so much more, Ben_ ’, is what he used to tell me, but he loved everything else.”

“I- I don’t.”

“Save it, Tony. If my kid believes in you and what you stand for, then _I_ believe in you and what you stand for.”

“As simple as that?” He didn’t fully believe it, he could tell. But Ben knew it’s a work in progress.

“As simple as that.” And that was when they both _knew_ that their friendship was going places, and they were willing to work for it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really glad you guys are liking the story, so here's a Christmas present. :)
> 
> As always, English is not my first language, so all mistakes are mine.

Ever since the last time they spoke, some things had changed. Not only between Ben and the hero, but at home too. Stark, true to his word, decided to make Peter’s internship real, ‘ _I’ll make it up to you both. I know taking Peter with me might’ve been a bit like taking advantage of him, so I’ll make his internship real. He might really get something out of this._ ’.

Ben wasn’t _thrilled_ with the idea, per se, but he knew that Pete would be delighted with the idea. He also knew that he would have to contain his happiness around him, simply because the internship was supposed to be real _already,_ so he would take as much advantage of it as he could.

He knew what day Stark told him the news simply because of the way Pete was acting around him. He was more jittery than usual, happier. A big smile that never left his face made him reflect on how much he looked like May, how much he remembered him of her. How much she was missing out on.

May would’ve hated Tony Stark, he’s sure of it. And he couldn’t say he liked the man _yet,_ but he was slowly working on it. Slowly but surely, Tony Stark was becoming part of their family routine. Thanks to him, Ben had a bit more time to himself as the kid was hanging out with the man in his super expensive tower’s lab.

He had heard all about it. ‘ _Mr. Stark’s lab is the most awesome thing I’ve ever seen Ben! He has these robots that do everything you tell them and they are so cute! One of them was made by Mr. Stark when he was in college, how cool is that? I wish I could build one like that. Maybe I’ll ask him if we can build one together! You could come by one day and help us! If he says yes, of course. But you should totally come and see for yourself how cool everything is. He’s got Iron Man suits lying around and he’s let me tinker with them…_ ’

Yeah, he knows a lot of what goes on in that lab, but that doesn’t mean he’ll ever go there willingly. He’s heard enough of it, he doesn’t need to _be_ there to picture it anymore. Besides the fact that the thought of Peter tinkering with _Iron Man suits_ makes his skin crawl.

And that’s exactly what he told the billionaire the day he decided to show up in his office one morning. He wasn’t _mad_ , he was tired. He was tired, not of the man, but of his nephew’s shenanigans. Of how he gets in trouble, but also of how he seems to get in trouble when the other man was supposed to be taking care of him.

“Oh, hey Ben. What- what are you doing here?” Ben’s sure the police officer uniform is what threw the man off, he was supposed to be on patrol after all, but a small coffee break wouldn’t hurt nobody.

“Nothing, just needed to run something by you.” Ben had never set foot on Stark’s office, but he felt comfortable somehow, maybe it had something to do with their relationship evolving into friendship, or maybe he was overstating it.

“Something Peter-related?” Of course it was Peter-related, when wasn’t it Peter-related?

“Yeah” As he sat down on the chair on the opposite side of the table, the billionaire made himself comfortable.

“What did he do now? Got beaten up by a stray cat? By an old lady with her purse?” All those options were more than viable possibilities, but none of them were right.

“Oh, no. None of that. He got stabbed by a mugger last night.” He expected the man to just sight and take away the importance of the matter, but what he didn’t expect was to see the look of pure terror and worry in his eyes. He knew that look, because that was the same exact look May and him had every time Pete came home bruised because some kid had beaten him to a pulp after school. The look of a concerned parent.

“He _what_? Why the hell didn’t FRIDAY alert me? There are protocols in place in his suit just for these types of situations! _Stabbed_? God, he should’ve called me! I could’ve taken him to the Med Bay here at the tower.” The worry and guilt that man carried was not especially healthy, and it showed. When he ran his hands through his hair, he could see just how _not okay_ he was, but he decided not to comment on it. “Oh God, I’m sorry. Is he okay? Did you have to go to the hospital? Because with his metabolism, the pills they got him might’ve not been enough. We have some left over from Cap, since he has the same metabolism…”

“He’s okay, Tony. Don’t worry about it.” He couldn’t hear any more of it. It felt like they were back in square one, the same blame game. The man wasn’t even there, but it was somehow his fault. Stupid man. “And stop it with the ‘ _I’m sorries_ ’. Damn, it feels like I have to take care of two Peters. I swear, that kid’s favorite word is ‘ _sorry_ ’, he might even get it tattooed when he’s older. I’m not here to blame you for this Tony. I’m here to ask for your help. Yeah, don’t look at me like that.” The look of surprise the billionaire gave him, made him feel like he was asking something completely stupid, as if he hadn’t thought it through. As if it wasn’t the only thing he could think about for days. “It’s not like I need your help _raising_ Peter, it might be an added bonus because he likes you, but that’s not it. I’m just a cop, Tony. I work for the government arresting petty criminals on the street, I’m not a superhero. I don’t _fight_ those petty criminals. I’ve got a gun, that tends to intimidate people, I’ve never had to use it, thank God. But Peter? I don’t know how to talk to him about this, I don’t know what advice to give him. How to help him with being a… _superhero_. _That’s_ what I need you for. To help him balance his vigilante life with his normal life. I need you to be part of a team, _our_ team.”

“A Peter-support team, you mean?” At that moment, at that _exact_ moment, Ben knew. He _knew_ that he finally liked the man. The smile the billionaire gave him, the knowing look, was enough to know that the man was all in. And that was enough for him. “Count me in.”

Yeah, he liked the man.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I hope you had an amazing Christmas, I did, considering everything going on. So I decided to give you guys this small treat. Hope you enjoy! :)
> 
> As always, English is not my first language, so all mistakes are mine.

He knew the day would come eventually. He knew there’d be a day when Peter wouldn’t need him, but he never thought it’d be so soon. It started out with simple things he used to ask for his help, like fixing up something that he broke or homework (although he was never good at that).

With those things, he felt like he could push that jealousy away. After all, jealousy wasn’t Ben’s thing, at least that’s what he thought. It wasn’t that bad. It just meant that there was someone else by his side, helping him, taking care of him, right? Yeah, that’s what he kept telling himself. Until that day.

It was a Wednesday, Ben came early from work for once. He was grateful, the kid was spending some time with Tony, which meant that he had the apartment to himself. Peter had even been eating dinner with the billionaire, which was a relief both for Ben and his bank account.

Some part of his brain knew that Stark was doing it for him. The man knew how much the kid could eat, which was more than a lot, three times the average person’s meal to be exact. Still, he wanted to believe that he was only doing it to spend more time with Peter, not to just do Ben a favor. Truth is, he’d never know until he asked.

Either way, Ben was more than grateful for that fact that exact day. Work had been hectic. Best part was that it had to do with some robbery gone wrong thanks to ‘ _Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-man_ ’. Part of him was glad he was assigned to that case, it was a way to know that Peter was completely healthy. No signs of blood or violence other than spiderwebs all around the store. Good day in his book, but tiresome nonetheless.

He was looking forward to that time alone, relaxing on the couch with a bottle of beer watching an old game. Now _that_ ’s his idea of a good time. He was so close to making that dream come true. So close. But a phone call had to stop it before it even began.

Truth be told, he would’ve let it go to voicemail. If they needed him, it could wait until morning. But when he heard Tony Stark’s ringtone, he didn’t have to even think about it twice. The game could wait.

“Hey, Ben?” The man sounded calm, which was good news. It meant that nothing wrong had happened to Peter, which was a relief for him.

“Yeah, what’s up Tony? Are you already on your way?” As he checked the clock, he realized it didn’t make any sense. Even if Peter didn’t stay for dinner with the hero, it was still 3 hours too soon for them to be on their way.

“Huh? No, no. We still have some ‘ _sciencing’_ to do. Peter’s term, not mine. Don’t come at me.” Hearing the billionaire talk so freely with him, made him grin, no point in hiding it, no one would ever see it. “It’s nothing bad either. I just needed your advice on something.” It wasn’t everyday Tony Stark asked for advice from someone else, less from him. But it didn’t take a genius to guess that the advice was needed for his area of lesser expertise, taking care of teenagers.

“Yeah, shoot. What did Peter do this time?”

“He didn’t _do_ anything. It’s just something he _said_. Something he asked me about, to be exact. I- He asked me for advice, which is okay, considering that I give him advice on so many things like science and… engineering, and… _more science_. But this- I- He asked me for relationship advice. And I- Of course I can give him advice. I know I’ve never been known for being the best at relationships, because of my playboy years and all… _But_ , as you know I’ve been on a relationship with Pepper for more than 6 years… Or is it 7? I don’t… That’s not the point. What I’m trying to say is that I _can_ give him advice, but I don’t know if that is trespassing a line. You know? The invisible line that separates you and me? You being the parent/uncle and me being just the cool mentor. I’m supposed to be giving him ‘ _sciency_ ’ advice, not… _relationship_ advice. That feels like a talk between father and son, or uncle and son. Not mentor and mentee. It feels too personal, and I don’t want to…”

At that moment, Ben’s brain had just frozen. The billionaire stopped talking and he didn’t even notice.

“Ben?”

His beer was still in his hand. Every finger was freezing, begging him to leave it on the table. But his brain wouldn’t work properly.

“Ben? You there?”

Since when did Peter think that he could come to _Tony Stark_ for personal advice before he could come to him? Was it because he knew about Stark’s history with girls? No, that wasn’t it. Was it because he didn’t have a girlfriend before May? Was it because he haven’t had a girlfriend _after_ May? Nothing made sense.

“Ben, seriously. You are starting to freak me out. You there? Or have I been talking to no one this entire time-?”

“I’m here. I’m… I’m here.” Somehow his brain decided to work for at least a couple of seconds. Good.

“You okay? I’m sorry if that wasn’t the best thing to do. I’m just- I’m hiding in the bathroom. I told him I wouldn’t take long. At this point he must already think I’m taking a dump, which I don’t care but- I’m sorry. I’m rambling.” Of course he was rambling, but he didn’t care, his brain at least didn’t. He needed to say something, it was stupid to not say anything. He wasn’t a baby.

“It’s- It’s okay, Tony. If he came to you for this, I won’t hold it against you.” ‘ _At least not consciously_ ’.

“Are you sure? Because I can just say something like ‘ _This is probably something you should talk about with your uncle_ ’, or something like that. I don’t know.” As much as he hated to admit it, he was boiling with jealousy. But deep down, hearing the man so confused and sorry for something he didn’t even do ( _as always_ ), made his jealousy dissipate, just a bit.

“I’m sure, Tony. Just because it’s your advice and not mine, doesn’t mean that it has to be bad. He asks for advice from different people he trusts. I know he goes to you when he needs help with his homework or with science, same as he goes to me when he needs help with other things. Just because relationship advice is not one of those things, doesn’t mean that he cares about me any less. It just means that he’s starting to trust you more. Which is a good thing, right?” In that moment, Ben didn’t know if he was trying to convince Tony or himself, but it didn’t matter, it got the job done.

“I guess, yeah. I just didn’t want to overstep. I know what I’m here for, parenting is not one of them-“

“ _Yet_.” Hearing the man letting out a small laugh, made it all better. Tension started to dissipate.

“Yeah, sure. Whatever you say, Ben. Either way… uh… I think I’m going to get out of here. If I stay any longer it might look like either I’m taking the biggest dump in history or I’m doing… You know what? Better not even say it.” Somehow, Tony’s sense of humor made it all better. Bless that man.

“Yeah, let’s just leave it at that. Go talk to the kid. You’ll tell me all about it later.”

“Yeah, I’ll fill you in on all the _gossip_.” As Ben heard the door of the bathroom opening, he knew it was time to hang up.

“You do that. Go get him tiger.”

“Thanks, Ben. I’ll do my best.”

As he hung up and laid back on the couch, his mind went back to May. Would she be proud of them? Would she agree with letting Tony Stark into their lives? He would never know, would he? He just needed to trust himself, and for once, he knew for certain that he was doing the right thing. He knew May would feel the same. And that was enough for him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because it's Christmas, I've decided to write something a bit longer for you guys. I was actually thinking of posting it tomorrow, because I don't have the next chapter finished, so I may not post tomorrow. Either way, enjoy.
> 
> As always, English is not my first language, so all mistakes are mine.

Ben still doesn’t know what possessed him that day, who or what made him do it. It might’ve been Peter’s continuous rambling about him, or how he felt like their relationship was evolving. He still has no clue. Either way, the fact is that Ben Parker invited the one and only Tony Stark to spend Christmas Eve with Peter and him, and against all odds, he agreed.

Funny enough, the only condition Stark had was bringing his girlfriend, Pepper to dinner. That, he could do. Truth be told, he was expecting him to ask for an expensive and good quality meal, instead of the home-cooked little dinner they had planned, but if the big smile he gave him was any indication, he was more than happy to just eat some cannelloni.

Now though, if they had to add yet another person, they might have to expand their horizons a bit and cook something else. Even though he’s sure that their guests will bring something to the table, Ben doesn’t want to come to any conclusions.

The whole cooking process with Peter is what really makes this Christmas Eve special. Seeing the kid so into his element, dancing, singing Christmas songs… it all brings back happy memories, the _happiest_ memories of both of them making May laugh until she couldn’t breath, of a day full of love from not only him but from his wife.

Today though, it’ll be different. Different from last year where there was only Peter and him, and definitely different from two years ago. But he wants to believe that both Tony and Pepper being here, will make everything better.

The sheer happiness on Peter’s face the moment he told him the news about his mentor coming over for Christmas dinner made it all worth it. He knows how much that man means to him and if including him into their family makes his nephew smile like that, he’d do it a hundred times more.

“Did you know part of Mr. Stark’s family is Italian? I’m sure he’ll love the cannelloni, he told me it actually was tradition when he was younger. His mom used to cook them for Christmas, but he’s a terrible cook so ever since his parents… you know… he’s never had homemade cannelloni.”

_That_ explains a lot. Now he gets the look on his face when he told him what they were making. At first Ben didn’t give it much importance, he just thought the man was happy to eat some homemade food for once, but this? This was much more important than that.

“Really? Well, then we’ll have to make them the best cannelloni to ever exist. Make our guests feel at home.” Because as uncomfortable as he’d probably be, he would do anything to make his guests feel at home.

The day went by fast, faster than either Peter or him realized, and by the time Ben was finished getting ready, the doorbell was ringing. Their guests had arrived. He wasn’t feeling ready, like at all, but it’d have to do, he couldn’t leave the couple waiting.

He had to admit, Pepper Potts was nicer and undoubtedly much more good-looking in person than on TV and magazines. Same for Tony, for sure, but at that point he was more used to his presence than hers.

“Thank you so much for welcoming us to your house, Mr. Parker. Tony has told me a lot about you from the few times you’ve met.” As Ben shook the woman’s hand, he couldn’t help but get starstrucked. Yes, he had a famous vigilante as a nephew and he could also say that he was friends with a renowned genius superhero, but seeing such a powerful woman enter his apartment to have dinner with his nephew and him? Now _that_ was amazing.

“Call me Ben, please. Tony knows how much I hate people calling me Mr. Parker. And by all means, both of you, come inside. Sit wherever you like. Do you want a drink? Beer, wine?” As the couple came in, Ben noticed the big bag full of presents. How could he not think of that before? Of course they would bring presents, it’s _Christmas_ and they are billionaires, of course they would bring gifts.

“A glass of wine is fine for me” Not wanting to make her wait, he went straight to the kitchen to get a glass of red wine.

“Plain water is okay for me, Ben.” Hearing that, he turned around, surprised by his answer. He was definitely not expecting that. To be honest, he bought an extra pack of beers just for the hero. Wasn’t he an alcohol lover? Maybe he got it completely wrong.

“You sure? I’ve got extra cold beers in the fridge.” At his insistence, Tony waved a hand with a smile, letting him know that just a glass of water was fine.

“Nah, I’m good. The only harmful drink I let into my body nowadays is coffee, and it is more than enough.” ‘ _Oh. So he went full cold turkey. That makes more sense_ ’. As he handed them their respective glasses, Ben sat down on the other couch, facing them.

The more he looked at them, the more he realized how perfect they were for each other. With an arm around her shoulders, Tony made sure she wasn’t feeling uncomfortable. Pepper on the other hand rested her head slightly on his shoulder. The matching clothes were a plus, but just the way they acted around one another made him think of how he used to act around May. And he liked to think _they_ were perfect for each other, soulmates even, once in a lifetime.

After 10 or so minutes of small talk, Peter finally came through the door, carrying a couple of bags full of desserts, something they had completely forgot to buy all morning. Thank God for this kid.

“Ben, I’m home!” As he put the bags on the counter, all three adults turned their attention at him. “Oh, hey Mr. Stark, Ms. Potts! I didn’t know you were already here! Merry Christmas!” Ben notices how the mood changes drastically the moment the kid enters the room, it’s like all awkwardness and politeness that goes on when someone just met, disappeared.

“I thought you weren’t going to show your face around here Underoos.” The nickname was not completely foreign to Ben, it was the only thing Peter could talk about after his first visit to Tony’s lab ‘ _He gave me a nickname Ben! That’s so awesome!_ ’.

“Am I that late? I didn’t realize what time it was! I’m sorry.” ‘ _Aaand there it is. His favorite word._ ’

“Don’t listen to him sweetie. He’s one to talk. I’ve never seen him be on time to anything in his life. I’m sure even when we get married he won’t show up on time. Besides we’ve only been waiting for 10 minutes, it gave us enough time to get to know your uncle. At least me, seeing as those two are already best friends.”

“Yeah, I guess you are right. Mr. Stark’s even late to our lab days. But it’s okay Mr. Stark, I don’t mind!” ‘ _Not the best thing to say Petey_ ’

“Well, well. That’s enough making fun of me for one evening. Why don’t we go have those delicious cannelloni I’ve been smelling since I came in?” That was a subject change if he had ever seen one. He guessed the man was always chastised constantly for the same thing, and he could definitely relate to that. That always happened to him whenever he left his socks on the floor.

As they made their way to the table, Tony couldn’t help but pinpoint something to Ben “They are starting to gang up against me, but don’t get too comfortable, they’ll come after you later.” With a small pat on the back, the billionaire joined his girlfriend and mentee on the dinner table.

Truth be told, he wouldn’t mind Peter and Pepper ganging up on him as long as it made the kid feel comfortable and loved. And he’s sure Tony wouldn’t mind either. Not at all actually, if the look he gave Ben was any indication.

Two hours later, four plates of _canapés_ and cannelloni later, the table was empty except for three cups of coffee and an orange juice. The conversation between all four had been everything but unpleasant, they had laughed, joked and reminisced, all with a feeling of happiness. It had been a great dinner, one for the books.

“Well guys, the dinner has been amazing. The cannelloni were excellent, so good that they take the favorite spot just after my mom’s, and that’s a great honor, let me tell you. _But_ , before we go, we need to do the most important thing that happens in Christmas. Opening presents.” Ben had to hold in his laughter at the dirty look Pepper gave her boyfriend and his reaction the moment he noticed her. “Well, _after_ the company of family of course, honey.”

“You didn’t have to, Tony. It was a pleasure having you here, but you didn’t need to buy us presents.” Waving a hand and dismissing his answer, Tony stood up and grabbed the bag he left next to the couch the moment they came in. To be honest, Ben was grateful for their thoughtfulness, but he felt bad at the same time, seeing as they didn’t get them anything in return.

“Nonsense, Ben. You invited us to dinner and made us a home cooked meal, it was the least we could do.” Not wanting to press the matter any further, Ben decided that he would push the guilt aside and enjoy the fact that they thought of them.

Five presents later, three for the kid and two for him, Peter and Ben thanked them again for the fiftieth time as they accompanied the couple to the door. Meanwhile, both Pepper and Tony did the same.

“It’s been great, right Pepper?” The billionaire wrapped an arm around her, keeping her close and warm. “If I’m being honest, it’s been one of the best Christmases I’ve had in years, so thank you so much.”

The thought that just a home-cooked meal with some friends made the cut at the top of his Christmas list, made Ben feel a bit bad for him. But then again, it somehow felt the same for him. Ever since May died, nothing had been the same, but that day all sadness went away, something that hadn’t happened in a long, long time.

“Well, it’s been our pleasure. We should definitely do this again some time. It gets too lonely here some days, especially when this one goes to have dinner with Ned and leaves his old man all alone.”

“Yes! It would be awesome to have you here again! We could make lasagna next time! I’m starting to get really good at making it.” By their guests’ smiles, Ben knew that it would definitely happen, and he was more than grateful.

“For sure. Next time you come by the lab, we’ll set a date. Deal? Merry Christmas, both of you.”

As the couple walked down the stairs, Ben wrapped an arm around Peter, leading him inside and closing the door. They still had some work to do cleaning the dishes, but as Peter turned on some Christmas music and started to sing, he knew that it would be as fun as the rest of the day had been.

He loves Christmas.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another chapter, I don't know when I'll have the next one, but I'll try to have it as soon as possible.
> 
> As always, English is not my first language, so all mistakes are mine.

The moment he had Tony Stark’s number on his phone, Ben decided to use a special ringtone just for him. It wasn’t for comedic purposes, just to know it was him whenever he called, because if he did, it was most likely, an emergency.

Ever since that ringtone was chosen, Ben had only heard it twice. The first time made him feel something he swore he would never feel, jealousy. But the second time he felt something completely different, he felt comfortable.

He still doesn’t know why the man called him that day. It might’ve been boredom or the fact that he needed to talk to someone other than his girlfriend. Because, let’s be honest, Pepper had a lot on her plate dealing with a multimillion dollar company and a ‘ _high-maintenance_ ’ boyfriend (as Tony himself pointed out).

Either way, the moment he picked up the phone, he was expecting the billionaire to talk about things related to Peter, but what he didn’t expect was how little they actually spoke about him.

“Hey, Ben. Am I calling at a bad time?” It took Ben all but 15 seconds to get the phone, and of course he would think he was busy with something else.

“No, not at all. I was watching a game. Is something wrong?”

“Uhh… no, nothing like that…. I actually don’t know why I called you, to be honest. You know what? Why don’t you forget I ever called? Sorry to bother you, you can go back to watching your game.” Was he embarrassed? Did he always need a reason to call somebody? Maybe when you are Tony Stark, you do.

“Tony, stop. It’s okay. Why don’t you… why don’t you come by and watch the game with me? We can have some bee- I mean, I’ve got juice and snacks. Anything you need.” He can feel him think his answer through, but somehow Ben knows he’ll say yes. He doesn’t know how, but he just knows.

“Uhh… sure, why not. I’ll be right there.” ‘ _Knew it_ ’.

Roughly 20 minutes later, the man knocked on his door. He had no idea how the hell he got there so fast, maybe he drove one of his fancy sports car over the speed limit or maybe he flew all the way there with his suit. Either way, Ben wasn’t expecting him so soon.

When he opened the door though, he expected to see the usual Tony Stark. Fancy suit, no hair out of place and sunglasses that made him even more intimidating. Instead he got regular Tony, AC/DC shirt with stains on it, a white t-shirt underneath, a black sweatshirt, jeans, white sneakers and baseball hat. If someone looked at him from afar, they wouldn’t think for a second that he was _the_ Tony Stark.

“Wasn’t expecting you so soon. Come in, come in.” Not saying a word, just giving him a small smile, the billionaire walked in, took his sweatshirt and cap off, dropped them on the back of one of the couches and almost throwing himself on it, laid down on the couch.

It shocked him, not only that he felt so comfortable around him so that he just made himself at home, but _how_ he made himself at home. He look worn-down, tired ‘ _when isn’t he?_ ’, and all around awful.

“You want something to drink? I got water, pineapple juice and non-alcoholic beer.” Opening his eyes, the man gave Ben a grateful smile. Ever since he learned that he stopped drinking, Ben always kept a pack of non-alcoholic beers in his fridge. Just in case.

“You want me to be honest? I would take an _alcoholic_ drink.”

“Well, not on my watch.” It looked like it was one of the bad days, so instead of asking again, he just filled a glass of water, left it on the table in front of the billionaire and sat on the couch next to him.

“Good.” Looking at him, Ben finally understood why he decided to call. Thank God he asked him to come by.

“You want to talk about it?” At his lack of words, he kept going. “That’s why you called wasn’t it? You wanted a drink?” He shivered at the genius’ humorless laugh.

“When don’t I need a drink? I feel like I always want one. It’s like a craving that I can’t control. I _know_ that I shouldn’t drink, I know _that_ much. I not only owe it to Pepper, but to myself. But sometimes…. _Most of the time_ it seems like my brain forgets about it.” Trying to find the words, the man closes his eyes, Ben never keeps his eyes or attention away from him. “I- I used to drink because of everything. I felt stressed? A glass of scotch. I felt anxious? A glass of whiskey. I felt sad? Everything I could find laying around. It was a mess. _I_ was a mess.” Not feeling comfortable enough laying down, Tony sits up, his head on his hands. “It felt good, you know? In the moment. I forgot about everything. I was numb. All my problems went away, at least most of the time. But _after_? Once the effects of the alcohol went away, it was _hell_. But this? Staying sober when all my brain does is ask for more? This is _torture_ , and I don’t know if I can take it.” Finally, the man sits with his back to the couch, both eyes open, looking at Ben. “I’ve taken literal beatings, from regular folks and people with superpowers, but the damage _that_ did to my body is nothing compared to how much everything hurts now. And I know that if I drink, it’ll all go away, but I _also_ know that it’s not _right_. I was _this_ close to drinking a whole bottle before I called you. _This_ close. But I didn’t. I wanted to. But I decided to call you. And I’m sorry, I didn’t have anyone else to call.”

When the man finished talking, Ben could feel tears in his eyes wanting to come out. He couldn’t believe how much one man could go through. He had no idea it was this bad. Before he met him, he based his whole opinion on him by what he saw on TV and magazines, but what else could he do back then? He didn’t know the man, there was no way for him to know how much he suffered behind the scenes.

Not being able to take it anymore, Ben got up from his seat, sat down next to the billionaire and put an arm around him. He didn’t know if he was overstepping, but he didn’t give a crap at that moment.

“It’s okay, Tony. You can call me any time you need. I- I may not know exactly what you are going through, but you can count on me to help whatever way I can. You are the strongest man I know. And believe me when I say that, because I’m not just saying it because it’s you. It’s okay to feel weak sometimes. It’s okay to want a drink, it’s completely normal. But you did great. You didn’t drink did you? You called me. That’s a win on my book. I’m proud of you, Tony. I really am.”

He expected Tony to just say thank you and leave, but what he didn’t expect was to see him rest his head on his shoulder and start crying. Shocked, Ben held him tighter and just let him get it all out.

Looking at Tony, he saw a man who needed someone by his side. He had the Colonel, yes, but he wasn’t always around. Pepper was also there, but there are just some things that you need to rely on other people for, not your significant other, and this is one of those things for Tony.

Was that what it felt like to have a younger brother? Someone to look out for? Someone to care for? To hold? Because if so, he definitely needed to fill that role. Hell, he was more than happy to fill it. Anything for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Ben being like brothers? Yes please, that's all I wanted to do :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, English is not my first language, so all mistakes are mine.

Sometimes it went like this: Tony called Ben to grab a coffee after work. After more than one cup, Tony walked Ben home and stayed for a while to catch up with the kid, only for him to end up staying for dinner. But other times it went a complete different way: Ben suddenly appeared on Tony’s office and dragged him out to either socialize or grab some air.

Most of the time, the genius could be found on the R&D department. Everyone knew Ben by name by then, seeing as he’d been going there at least once a week for the last five months he’d known Tony.

That day though, when he showed up, the billionaire was nowhere to be found. Everyone he asked had no idea where their boss had gone to. He didn’t even blame them, Tony Stark didn’t need to tell anybody where he was going, at least that’s what he told everybody.

He’d known the man long enough to know how his apartment looked like, Peter and him had been invited over many times, but what he didn’t know the existence of was his private lab. Truth be told, Ben didn’t actually get _why_ he needed a private lab, weren’t the 15 existing labs on his tower enough for the man? But when he walked in, he understood why.

That lab, or _‘shop’_ as Tony liked to call it, was completely different from every other one Ben had seen. This one didn’t have the many tables full of papers and standard computers. No. This one was filled with mechanical parts and holographic designs, all for Iron Man.

It wasn’t everyday that he got to see the Iron Man armor up close, but that day he not only got to see one of them, he had the pleasure of seeing all of them, or what at least he hoped would be all. Because, let’s face it, if he built more than 10, he would have to start to worry.

He was impressed, no doubt about it, but thinking back, if he would’ve had seen them about six months earlier, it would’ve been much more impressive. Of course the latest prototype was much more advance than six months prior, but he didn’t really know the man behind it back then.

He didn’t feel as if Tony Stark was his little brother, as if he _had_ to be protected. He didn’t feel that sensation of fear and dread when he saw the news of Iron Man’s latest mission in the middle of nowhere. But he certainly felt that in that moment. So yeah, he was proud, impressed, _amazed_ even, but his worry was much more prominent than his awe.

“Hey, Ben. Didn’t know you were coming today. Don’t you usually show up here on Thursdays? It’s a Tuesday afternoon.” Ben kept his eyes on the armors, taking in every single detail.

“Yeah, sorry. Can’t make it this Thursday, so I decided to come today, to make up ahead of time.” The sound of the welder let him know the genius wasn’t done with his work yet, so he didn’t push. He didn’t exactly know what ran through his head most of the time, but he didn’t want to be the reason his ideas stopped flowing even for a second.

“Aw, you didn’t have to do that. It’s not the end of the world if we don’t go out for coffee _one_ Thursday, you know that, right?” Yeah, he knew that. It was okay for him to skip, he got to go out for coffee with his coworkers almost every day. But Tony? He didn’t go out with anyone that wasn’t Pepper, Peter or Ben. And seeing as his girlfriend/CEO was out on a business trip and Peter was spending the week on a sleepover with Ned and MJ, Ben knew that the genius was either only going to socialize with the R&D team or with no one at all. And that couldn’t be. Not on his watch.

“Yeah, I know that. But I wanted to. It’s the only time we get to hang out just the two of us. No annoying little genius running around stealing your attention by asking you questions about science, or amazing girlfriends that _also_ steal your attention simply because you keep making lovey eyes at her.” That last part got a laugh out of the man, so Ben considered it a win.

“Yeah, yeah. That’s just you being jealous isn’t it? You just _can’t stand it_ when I make it obvious that I’m in love with my girlfriend, can you?”

“Whatever makes you sleep better at night, champ. I’ve just come here to take you out for coffee, but if you are just going to make wild accusations about me, I might just go back to work and leave you to it.” Leaving the welder on the table, Tony walks up to Ben. The goggles he used while he worked stayed on his forehead, holding his hair in place. As he got closer, Ben grabbed a rag on top of the table next to him, he wasn’t going to let him touch his uniform with his dirty, greasy hands. “Clean yourself up before we go out, will you? I don’t want to be seen with you dressed like that. I’ve got a reputation to maintain, you know that.” The smile on the genius’ face, let Ben know he got his joke.

“Oh, yeah? Well, just for that, we are going now. I’m not going to change, not even shower. People love it when I go out like this, you just hate it because they pay more attention to me than you. You better get that jealousy checked out by a psychologist. If you need one I’d be more than happy to give you the number of the one I go to.”

“Thanks, Tony. But I got my own. I don’t even think I would be able to afford it.”

“Yeah, that’s probably true. But I would do you a favor and pay for it. Seeing as I’m a gentleman.” Ben shoves Tony to the side, laughing. That man might be a lot of things, but a gentleman is not one of them, at least with him.

“Is that what your psychologist says? That you are a gentleman? If that’s the case, you might want to look for another one because buddy, they are straight up lying to your face. Don’t waste any more money.”

“Ha. Ha. Ben, so funny. I knew that’s how big brothers treated their younger siblings, but I thought you’d be an exception. I am _disappointed_ , I really am. Thanks a lot Ben.”

As the billionaire walked away to gather his stuff, Ben was left speechless. It was one thing for him to admit to himself that Tony was like a little brother to him, but hearing it out loud? Being admitted not by him, but by Tony himself? That was _weird_. A _good_ weird, don’t get him wrong, but weird nonetheless.

Once he was finally composed, Ben walked to the door, followed by the genius. Once they stepped foot out of the lab, he wrapped an arm around Tony’s shoulder, patting him slightly.

“Well, you got it completely wrong there, pal. I’m going to make your life unbearable when you are around me. The teasing will be constant and painful. There will be nowhere to escape.”

“I’m looking forward to that.”

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas everybody!
> 
> Kudos and comments really help :)


End file.
